Sharks Spoil Tkachuk’s Return with Statement Win Over Panthers
SUNRISE, Fla. - The San Jose Sharks didn’t just win on Monday night - they made a statement. With a three-goal outburst in the second period and a sharp performance in net from Alex Nedeljkovic, San Jose rolled past the Florida Panthers 4-1 at Amerant Bank Arena, crashing the long-awaited return of Matthew Tkachuk.
Tkachuk, back in action for the first time this season after offseason surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle and sports hernia, logged just under 21 minutes over 22 shifts. He had six shot attempts and admitted the rust was real early on.
“The first period was weird, just a little strange,” Tkachuk said postgame. “Nothing mimics a game. The second felt better, third felt back to normal.”
But by the time he found his legs, the Sharks had already taken control.
Sharks Surge in the Second
San Jose broke open a scoreless game with three goals in a six-minute stretch early in the second period. It started just 50 seconds in when Will Smith pounced on a rebound off a Timothy Liljegren shot, shifted to his forehand, and tucked it around Sergei Bobrovsky’s pad to put the Sharks on the board.
Less than two minutes later, Vincent Desharnais - not exactly known for lighting the lamp - buried the rebound from an Igor Chernyshov wrister to make it 2-0. It was Desharnais’ first goal of the season and just the second of his NHL career, coming in game No. 186.
Mario Ferraro added the third at 6:12, capitalizing on another rebound - this time from Chernyshov again - with a quick snap past Bobrovsky’s glove. Michael Misa had the slick touch in front to keep the puck alive and set up Ferraro’s finish.
It was a textbook example of what Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky has been preaching: get on the front foot, be aggressive, and don’t wait for the game to come to you.
“We’re not going to tiptoe into a game,” Warsofsky said. “We have to get onto the attack, we have to push forward, and we’re a good hockey team. That was really the message, and the guys did that from the drop of the puck.”
Nedeljkovic Holds the Fort
While the Sharks were cashing in at one end, Alex Nedeljkovic was locking things down at the other. The veteran netminder turned away 35 of 36 shots, anchoring a San Jose defense that was disciplined, structured, and opportunistic.
“We stuck with it, sacrificed a lot, and committed to playing solid defense,” Nedeljkovic said. “When the time came, we got rewarded. … We’ll take it.”
The only blemish came early in the third period when Eetu Luostarinen cut the deficit to 3-1 with a long-range shot through traffic that beat Nedeljkovic clean. But the Panthers couldn’t build on the momentum, and Barclay Goodrow iced it with an empty-netter at 17:21.
Panthers Look Flat in Tkachuk’s Return
Florida, coming off a six-game road swing and playing the second half of a back-to-back, looked a step behind all night. Head coach Paul Maurice admitted the team’s energy wasn’t where it needed to be.
“You are worried about this game for two months,” Maurice said. “You have six on the road, this comes off a back-to-back.
Thought we might come out sluggish, and we did. We’re not quite there yet.
It looked the way we feared it might.”
Despite the sluggish showing, the Panthers did get a milestone moment from Aaron Ekblad, who picked up his 400th career point with an assist on Luostarinen’s goal.
Youth Movement Making Waves
One of the night’s standout storylines for San Jose was the continued emergence of their young core. Michael Misa, just 18 years old, picked up two assists - making him just the third 18-year-old in Sharks history to record a multi-point game. Only Macklin Celebrini and Patrick Marleau have done more at that age in teal.
Igor Chernyshov also notched two assists, both coming on second-period goals, showcasing his ability to create chances off the rush and from the perimeter.
“We knew we had to be ready from the drop of the puck,” Misa said. “We know they’re a good team but we’re a good team, too. Good to find a win.”
Sharks Turning a Corner?
With the win, San Jose improves to 25-20-3 and has now taken five of its last seven games. Monday’s victory also marked just their eighth win all-time in Florida - and their first in Sunrise since 2017. The Sharks had dropped 12 straight to the Panthers before snapping the streak with a win in San Jose back in November.
This is a team that’s figuring out how to play to its identity - fast, physical, and opportunistic - and it’s starting to show in the results. If they can keep getting contributions from their young stars and consistent goaltending from Nedeljkovic, they’re going to be a tough out down the stretch.
As for the Panthers, they’ll look to shake off the rust and get their legs back under them. Tkachuk’s return is a major boost, but Monday night served as a reminder: in the NHL, even the best teams can’t afford to ease their way back into the action.